Letter: Listen to the experts and ban hydrofracking

The Denver Post reported last year that Colorado data show more than 350 instances of groundwater contamination because of horizontal fracking. I am concerned about Colorado because my niece and her 3-year-old son live in Denver.

I also care about New York State, so let’s hear from the people who should know about fracking and its dangers. Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported the chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil, Rex Tillerson, joined in a lawsuit against Cross Timbers Water Supply Co., which wanted to build a water tower to support the fracking industry near his ranch in Texas. So our neighborhoods in New York State are OK to frack, but not his. Hypocrite!

Our next expert, Louis Allstadt, was executive vice president of Mobil Oil Corp. for 31 years. He retired to Cooperstown with a townhouse and a waterfront house on Lake Otsego. After studying fracking issues for a few years, he urged officials of 62 counties in New York State not to allow fracking and instead go ahead with the development of more renewable energy.

Allstadt said that horizontally fracked wells can require “up to 100 times more water and chemicals” than the old vertical wells. These newer wells “require thousands of trucks coming and going.” Another concern is methane. He said: “Methane is leaking from wells at far greater rates than were previously estimated.”

We have heard from two high-level officials and even they are afraid of fracking. Listen up, Gov. Cuomo. Let’s ban fracking in New York State.